Core 2 Duo T9800 vs Pentium 3805U

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Core 2 Duo T9800 vs Pentium 3805U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core 2 Duo T9800 vs Pentium 3805U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core 2 Duo T9800

2009

Why buy it

✅+200% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 2 MB).
✅Draws 6W instead of 512W, a 506W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,189 vs 1,196).
❌No integrated graphics, while Pentium 3805U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Pentium 3805U

2015

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics (Broadwell), while Core 2 Duo T9800 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 6 MB).
❌8433.3% higher power demand at 512W vs 6W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium 3805U better than Core 2 Duo T9800?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core 2 Duo T9800 is ahead with a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 3805U pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark. Core 2 Duo T9800 also has the bigger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 2 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 3805U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Pentium 3805U still makes the most sense overall. Pentium 3805U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.6% better PassMark.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium 3805U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core 2 Duo T9800 vs Pentium 3805U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core 2 Duo T9800

The Core 2 Duo T9800 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.93 GHz, with boost up to 2.92 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,189 points. Launch price was $530.

Pentium 3805U

The Pentium 3805U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,196 points. Launch price was $161.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo T9800 and Pentium 3805U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.92 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9800 versus 1.9 GHz on the Pentium 3805U — a 42.3% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo T9800 (base: 2.93 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T9800 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium 3805U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T9800 scores 1,189 against the Pentium 3805U's 1,196 — a 0.6% lead for the Pentium 3805U. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T9800 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 3805U.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T9800	Pentium 3805U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.92 GHz+54%	1.9 GHz
Base Clock	2.93 GHz+54%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache+200%	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	6 MB	256K (per core)+4167%
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	1,189	1,196

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T9800 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium 3805U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T9800	Pentium 3805U
Socket	PGA478	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 3.0+173%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	16 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	12

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 2 Duo T9800) / VT-x, VT-d (Pentium 3805U). The Pentium 3805U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Broadwell)), while the Core 2 Duo T9800 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium 3805U targets Mobile.